


Your Paintbrush and Some Candy

by so_real



Series: I Like Me Better [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, New York City, No Plot/Plotless, Non-Linear Narrative, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23715754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/so_real/pseuds/so_real
Summary: '"Come here," he mutters, pulling Hongjoong close and engulfing him in a hug. The other makes himself small so that he can tuck his head under Seonghwa's chin. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, you know that, right?"Hongjoong makes a little humming sound, his arms tight where they hold Seonghwa's waist. "I like hearing you say it, though."'ORthe one where Hongjoong and Seonghwa still own a coffee/flower shop, and are disgustingly in love
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Series: I Like Me Better [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1708060
Comments: 31
Kudos: 233





	Your Paintbrush and Some Candy

**Author's Note:**

> i have nothing to say for myself other than Lauv released an album that killed me, and i was talking to Joy, and this happened
> 
> title is from Canada by Lauv and Alessia Cara , you can listen to it [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ob6ZV09WQt4RwLLjBzdOJ?si=Ewwyna9zTSOHpteHdpfzMQ) in this sick playlist i made for the au
> 
> theres no need to have read the first one to understand this, but it would be nice if you did cause validation and all that ykno
> 
> as always thank you to Mire and Micka, for being my best beta and the most supporting person in my life
> 
> enjoy!

Hangovers are never a pretty look on Hongjoong. 

He's a lightweight (much like Seonghwa is, there's no use in lying here), but unlike Seonghwa, who usually knows his limits and stops drinking before the room starts spinning, Hongjoong just drinks until he passes out, and then he wakes up with a splitting headache and the biggest (and cutest) frown ever seen to humanity.

That's how he looks today, faded pink hair sticking in every direction as he emerges from their room, one of Seonghwa's striped shirts hanging off his shoulder and a confused-looking Cat clutched firmly against his chest. Seonghwa chuckles when he sees him, the pout, the furrowed eyebrows, the sweater paws, and Hongjoong sends a glare his way, sniffling as he walks over to the kitchen and pours himself some coffee from the pot Seonghwa made for him half an hour ago.

When he comes back, Cat-less but with what Seonghwa knows is a too-sweet cup of coffee, he makes a beeline for Seonghwa, which the older was expecting, and expertly climbs on his lap where he's sitting on the couch. Seonghwa lifts his book, spreading his legs so that Hongjoong is sitting in between them instead of on them, and throws the younger's legs over one of his, letting Hongjoong rest against his chest as he nurses his coffee.

"Good morning," he says against Hongjoong's hair. Hongjoong makes a little grunt and buries his face on Seonghwa's neck.

"Don't let me do that again," he rasps out, voice hoarse from all the scream-singing he did the night before.

"I'm gonna need you to elaborate on the _that_ , you did a lot of questionable things yesterday," Seonghwa replies with a smile, settling his book on the couch and wrapping his arms around Hongjoong's frame.

"Fuck off," Hongjoong says without any heat. Seonghwa makes a little amused sound, kissing the top of Hongjoong's head. "Don't let me drink that much ever again."

"When have you ever listened to anything I tell you?" he questions, slipping a hand under Hongjoong's shirt to feel his skin, just because he can. Hongjoong groans, hiding his face on Seonghwa's collarbone.

"Ugh, I hate that you're right," he complains. He starts coughing then, and all of Seonghwa's alarms go off in his head. He pulls back, pressing the back of his hand and then his lips to Hongjoong's forehead, and fearing the worst when he feels a warmth that shouldn't be _that_ warm.

"Baby, you're hot," he tells Hongjoong, rubbing his back to soothe his breathing.

"Well, thanks, you're not so bad yourself," Hongjoong says with a grimace. Seonghwa can't help the little laugh that escapes him.

"No, my love, I think you might have a fever," he says patiently, pushing Hongjoong's hair away from his face. Now that he looks at him properly, he can see the blush high on his cheeks and how chapped his lips are. Things he'd previously attributed to the hangover, but that now make him think of something worse. All at once, he regrets letting Hongjoong run around without a jacket last night. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," Hongjoong replies immediately, closing his eyes and leaning against Seonghwa's hands. His cheeks feel hot to the touch, and Seonghwa's worry grows.

"Does anything other than your head hurt?" he asks Hongjoong, brushing his thumb over Hongjoong's warm cheekbone.

"Everything," Hongjoong complains, frowning and pouting at Seonghwa. "Hwa, I don't wanna be sick."

"I know, love, but I'm afraid you really don't get a say in that," he tells him softly. Hongjoong huffs, leaning in and face-planting on Seonghwa's shoulder again. Seonghwa takes the mug from his hands and places it on the coffee table before hugging him tight, one hand holding his back and the other cradling his head.

"I hate it here," Hongjoong says, and Seonghwa feels his hot lips brush against his neck.

"Let's get you something to eat and then back to bed, how does that sound?" he poses, threading his fingers through Hongjoong's tangled hair.

Hongjoong groans, hands fisting Seonghwa's shirt. "Don't wanna move."

"C'mon, I'll carry you," Seonghwa pushes, and Hongjoong makes a little protesting sound, but Seonghwa can tell he's feeling sick enough not to resist it. "Up you go."

He hooks his arm under Hongjoong's legs, the other holding his back, and stands up with some effort, carrying Hongjoong bridal style through the kitchen door and depositing him on the counter. Hongjoong sits there, looking grumpy and tired, and Seonghwa itches with the need to make that frown go away.

"I don't think I'll be able to keep anything down," Hongjoong warns him as he rummages through their cabinets in search of something to feed him.

"Some crackers maybe?" he poses, showing Hongjoong the salty ones. Hongjoong shrugs one shoulder, as if saying _no idea_ , and Seonghwa deems that enough to be worth a try. He places them on the counter next to Hongjoong's thigh, and then moves to fill him a glass with water. When he turns, Hongjoong is adorably munching on a cracker, his eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed as he chews. Seonghwa smiles, setting the glass on the counter and getting closer to give Hongjoong's cheek a kiss.

"Why?" he asks, feigning disgust. Seonghwa laughs and kisses him again.

"You're cute and sick, I just want to baby you," he explains. Hongjoong rolls his eyes and continues eating, but Seonghwa doesn't miss the way the blush on his face grows.

"You have the weirdest kinks," he says, and Seonghwa snorts.

"Oh, yeah, wanting to take care of the person you love is _so_ kinky," he teases, and is pleased when a little smile finds its way to Hongjoong's lips for the first time today.

"That's some heavy shit," he agrees, taking another cracker from the packet and staring at it doubtfully.

"Eat this one and drink your water and we can take the rest to the bedroom," Seonghwa instructs him.

"What happened to no crumbs on the bed?!" Hongjoong asks, turning to him with owlish eyes.

Seonghwa smiles indulgently at him. "We'll make an exception just this once."

Hongjoong's mouth opens wide, and he nods, stuffing the cracker in his mouth. He chomps it down quickly and then moves to the water, downing the glass in two big gulps and setting it on the counter again. Seonghwa just watches him fondly, and shakes his head when Hongjoong looks up and makes grabby hands at him.

"Carry me to bed?" he asks, and for someone who was so against being manhandled a few minutes ago, he surely sounds entirely convinced now.

"But then you complain when I say I want to baby you," Seonghwa cajoles, but he walks into Hongjoong's space anyway, letting Hongjoong cling to him like a koala and bracing him with his hands on his thighs.

"I'm starting to see the benefits of it," Hongjoong reasons on his ear. "I've always wanted to be carried everywhere."

"You're such a spoiled brat," Seonghwa grumbles against his shoulder, but he carries him to their room anyway. Hongjoong makes a little sound when he lets him fall on the bed, and immediately gets under the covers, bringing them up to his nose with his hands. Seonghwa is still way too endeared by this little habit of his.

"I thought I was cute and sick?" Hongjoong asks from beneath the blankets, looking at Seonghwa with big eyes that try to be innocent but fail miserably with the way they're glinting mischievously.

"You're a pain in the ass, is what you are," Seonghwa assures him, but still relents and climbs into bed with him when Hongjoong pulls at his shirt with a single hand.

Hongjoong laughs at that, a giggle that turns into a coughing fit, and Seonghwa is reminded of why they're here in the first place. He holds Hongjoong through it, rubbing his back in soothing motions, and waits until the younger can breathe again. Hongjoong clings to Seonghwa then, grabbing his shirt and burying his face on his chest, and Seonghwa feels his heart break a little at the obvious distress he's under. "I don't wanna be sick," he says again, a lot more desperately this time.

"I know," Seonghwa assures him, wrapping his arms around him and hugging him close. It's the only comfort he can think of giving right now, and he feels like it's falling short. 

"Make it go away," Hongjoong demands, and God, would Seonghwa get rid of everything that's making him suffer, if he only could.

"I would in a second if I could, love," he mutters against Hongjoong's hair. Hongjoong makes a little unhappy sound, beating his fist against Seonghwa's chest weakly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault," Hongjoong scolds him, rightfully so. Seonghwa knows it's not his fault, but that doesn't stop him from feeling the need to make everything okay.

"I know, but I wish I could do more," he breathes.

Hongjoong shakes his head, his hands clutching Seonghwa's shirt tightly. "You do more than enough. I just need you to put up with me being a whiny baby for a while, okay?"

Seonghwa smiles in spite of everything, pressing his cheek against the crown of Hongjoong's head. "So the usual."

Hongjoong snorts at that, one of his arms snaking around Seonghwa's chest and pressing his body so close to him that Seonghwa thinks he's trying to melt into him. "Yeah."

"Okay, then, my whiny baby, please try to get some more sleep," he says, tracing circles on Hongjoong's shoulders until he feels them relax under his touch. He hums, a little improvised melody, and brushes a hand through Hongjoong's tangled hair until it's smooth and soft again. He thinks Hongjoong has actually fallen asleep when he speaks up again.

"Hwa?" he says in a small and tired voice.

"Yes, love?" Seonghwa prompts him with a nudge of his nose against his hair.

"Sing me to sleep?" 

Hongjoong's request catches him unaware, but doesn't really surprise him. If there's one thing Hongjoong hasn't dropped in all these years is the fact that Seonghwa stopped singing. Seonghwa thinks it's endearing on most days, how Hongjoong will bend over backwards to try and get him to sing for his songs, even if Seonghwa refuses every time. It's nothing personal, really. Seonghwa just really doesn't need that part of himself anymore to feel like his life makes sense, not with the shop working out and Hongjoong in his arms, but he can understand that Hongjoong can't relate, not when he still very much needs music to function.

Despite his reservations, he guesses he can make an exception today, if only on behalf of Hongjoong's burning figure pressed against his chest. He thinks for a second, picking something that can be fitting, and smiles against Hongjoong's hair when the perfect song comes to mind. He draws in a breath and lets it go.

" _What if we move to Canada? And buy some things we don't need_ ," his hands card through Hongjoong's hair as he sings softly. " _Bring your mother's dog, your paintbrush and some candy._ " Hongjoong presses his too-warm nose against his collarbone, sniffling. " _And when they talk about those people who up and leave, that could be us, that could be you and me._ "

Hongjoong's hand clutches his shirt where it's resting on his back, and Seonghwa can hear it as he draws a little, shivering breath. "You had to pick that song, asshole?" he demands, shakily, and Seonghwa smiles.

"That could be you and me," he repeats the words of the song to Hongjoong, and he means them, every single one. He would drop everything in a second for Hongjoong, it scares him, sometimes, the extent of the things he'd do for this little, amazing, stubborn man.

"Shut up," Hongjoong grunts, making Seonghwa chuckle.

"You asked for it," he reminds him.

"I didn't ask you to fucking make me cry," Hongjoong's voice sounds ready to break at any moment, and Seonghwa wonders if he really will cry.

"Sorry," he mutters. "I forgot being sick turns you into an emo baby too."

"You're not allowed to make fun of me when I'm like this," Hongjoong whines, trying to get away from Seonghwa's hold, but Seonghwa just laughs and hugs him closer, making Hongjoong's weak efforts useless. They end up much in the same position, except Seonghwa has maneuvered them so that he can rest his forehead against Hongjoong's, smiling down at him as the younger pouts. He is completely burning up now, eyes glassy and cheeks flushed, and he's the most beautiful person Seonghwa has ever seen.

"I love you," he whispers, nuzzling his nose against Hongjoong's. 

Hongjoong blinks in surprise. "And you say I get emo."

His voice has turned nasal, and he looks like he's having a hard time breathing out of his nose, and he's sweaty and flustered, and Seonghwa loves him so much he feels like he'll burst out of his skin.

"You do," he mutters, feeling like his chest is a little too tight. "But so do I."

"Sap," Hongjoong chastises, but he leans in and kisses Seonghwa softly, just a brush, before he pulls back. "I probably shouldn't do that, you'll get sick too."

Seonghwa smiles, feeling his heart do a little flip. "I don't care." 

"What's the point if we both get sick?" Hongjoong asks with a chuckle. Seonghwa feels his hot breath against his lips and steals another kiss, just because he can.

"Being sick together?" he poses, mussing Hongjoong's hair. "Staying in bed all day for a chance?"

"Even if we're both gross and sweaty and short of breath?" Hongjoong continues pushing, because it's not Hongjoong if he doesn't try to punch plot holes into anything Seonghwa says.

"That doesn't seem to bother you in other circumstances," Seonghwa counters, and laughs, delighted, when Hongjoong catches the double entendre and blushes up to his ears, sputtering.

"Wow, _wow_ , I-" he stutters as Seonghwa laughs and hides his face on his neck. "You really had to go there."

"You handed it to me on a silver platter, love," Seonghwa reasons, and he kisses at the skin in front of him, because he never can keep to himself when Hongjoong's neck is bared to him like this.

"I'm sick! My brain is mush right now," Hongjoong complains, a little breathless, and Seonghwa feels the vibrations of it on his lips as he works them over his throat.

"Then you should sleep," he says against his Adam's apple.

"How when you're _not letting me_ ," Hongjoong says through gritted teeth when Seonghwa kisses the mole on the side of his neck.

Seonghwa grins, the need to tease winning over the need to comfort for a second. "Oh, I'm sorry, is this distracting you?" 

" _Yes!_ Very much so!" Hongjoong cries, slapping his back weakly.

"Sorry," he says, kissing Hongjoong one last time before pulling back, meeting Hongjoong's glare.

"You're not sorry at all," he accuses, and Seonghwa's grin makes a comeback.

"I really am not," he concedes, ready for what's coming.

And, like clockwork, Hongjoong bites out an "I hate you."

Seonghwa reigns the urge to kiss him in. "You really don't."

And he knows that Hongjoong is trying not to smile when he says. "I really don't."

Seonghwa does kiss him then, disregarding common sense, because he really couldn't care less about getting sick if it means he gets to press Hongjoong into the sheets with nothing but his lips.

Later, when Hongjoong is finally asleep and snoring softly because of his stuffy nose, Seonghwa lets himself out of bed gently, brushing Hongjoong's sweaty bangs out of his face and pressing a soft kiss to his burning forehead.

"I'll be right back, love," he promises, even though Hongjoong can't hear him, and quietly walks out of the room.

He moves to the kitchen then, retrieving the crackers and filling another glass with water and going back to the bedroom to place them on Hongjoong's nightstand, pushing clutter away as quietly as he can. Hongjoong doesn't stir, still out cold (pun unintended), and Seonghwa smiles fondly at the sight of his pink nose peeking from under the covers. 

A short trip to the bathroom confirms they don't have any cold medicine, so Seonghwa grabs a painkiller and sets it beside the glass of water before going to grab one of the cute bunny post-its his mom sent him for his birthday from the studio.

 _Went to grab you some meds, pls drink your water and take the ibuprofen if you're feeling really bad, but otherwise just eat some more and rest until I'm back._ He writes on it, and then, after a second of thinking, he adds a little heart, because he knows Hongjoong will find it funny, and returns once again to stick the note on the nightstand.

He checks Hongjoong's temperature with the back of his hand again, and nods to himself when it doesn't seem to have worsened before grabbing his wallet and keys and closing the door softly behind him on his way out. He slips on the old chucks he only wears on the weekends and quickly makes his way to the convenience store two streets over. 

There, he gets the cold medicine, as well as all of Hongjoong's favorite snacks, along with some candy for himself, and thanks the clerk with a smile before hurrying home again. He drops the bag next to the door as he stops to take off his shoes, and a curious Cat comes to sniff at it. Seonghwa smiles at her, scooping her up along with the bag, and going to place everything on the kitchen.

"Your dad isn't feeling so well," he tells Cat, who just looks at him with big eyes until Seonghwa scratches under her chin. 

Once all the snacks are in their appropriate cabinets, Seonghwa grabs the medicine and Cat and walks over to the bedroom again. He opens the door slowly, trying not to make any noise, something that he sees is futile when he peeks in and sees Hongjoong leaning against the headboard with his phone in his hand and a cracker in his mouth. His head snaps up when he hears Seonghwa, and he smiles around his cracker, dropping the phone and making grabby hands until Seonghwa walks over to him and hands him the cat.

"Hello, my baby," Hongjoong coos, rubbing his cheek on Cat's head. Cat chirrups and tries to bite his chin, and Hongjoong laughs, scratching behind her ears until she starts purring and curls up on his lap.

"How are you feeling?" Seonghwa asks, and Hongjoong allows him to press his lips against his forehead again.

"Still like shit, but more rested," he replies, smiling weakly at him, and Seonghwa falters for a second, because he's beautiful.

"Did you take the ibuprofen?" he asks, sitting beside him on the bed and unpacking the cold medicine.

"Nah, but I did drink the water," Hongjoong explains, leaning against him. Seonghwa presses a distracted kiss to his hair as he quickly reads over the prospect.

"Very well, will you take this?" he asks, wiggling the cold medicine in front of his face. 

Hongjoong sighs dramatically. "I guess."

"You know I would have taken the kid version, but it doesn't work on you, no matter how short you are" Seonghwa reasons with him. Hongjoong hates cold medicine, and used to insist on only taking the strawberry flavored one until they saw it really did nothing for him.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll just take the gross one," he groans, grabbing it from Seonghwa's hand. Seonghwa smiles and kisses his head again.

"That's my baby," he says, and pulls away just in time to avoid Hongjoong's punch. "I grabbed you snacks, too," he fends for himself, and Hongjoong's face turns from a scowl to a pleased, surprised smile.

"Can I have them on the bed as well?" he asks, just to tease Seonghwa. He smiles, ruffling his hair and standing up.

"I'll bring them," he says. "Take your medicine," he threatens with a pointing finger, and Hongjoong nods, immediately opening the bottle and taking a swig, grimacing at the taste. Seonghwa laughs at the method, but smiles proudly at him.

"Now snacks," Hongjoong pleads, and Seonghwa complies.

When he's back, Hongjoong is talking to Cat in a silly voice, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs, and Seonghwa can't help the snort he lets out as he settles on the bed next to him again.

"I still can't believe she likes you better," he complains, passing Hongjoong one of the snack bags.

"What can I say? I'm charming like that," he shrugs, giving him a lazy grin. The medicine is sitting on the nightstand next to the empty glass of water, and Hongjoong tears into his food without any preamble.

"Yeah, I know," Seonghwa tells him as he watches him eat.

"This is a bit creepy, y'know?" Hongjoong says with his mouth full. He elaborates when Seonghwa tilts his head at him. "You watching me eat. I know you think I'm cute or whatever, but it's genuinely weird."

"I just like making sure you actually eat," Seonghwa reasons. Hongjoong hardly ever forgets to eat anymore, but old habits die hard.

"I'm not a kid," Hongjoong protests, but the pout with which he says it makes him lose all credibility.

"I know, but you're my baby, and I have to take care of you," Seonghwa says, and this time, he's not fast enough to dodge the slap that comes his way. "Ouch!"

"Say that again, I dare you," Hongjoong warns him. Seonghwa just sticks his tongue out at him and steals a chip from the bag. 

"I will," Seonghwa tells him, smirking, and Hongjoong squints at him. "When you least expect it."

"I'll sleep with one eye open," he assures him, ominously.

"No you won't, because you need to rest," Seonghwa corrects him, and Hongjoong rolls his eyes before popping another chip in his mouth.

"Resting is so boring," he complains. "There's only so many apps I can check before I go out of my mind, and I know you won't let me go anywhere near the laptop."

"You are correct," Seonghwa confirms, leaning back on the headboard and brushing through Hongjoong's hair with a hand. "But you can read and catch up on much needed sleep.

"You know I get bored of reading," Hongjoong whines, pouting through a mouthful of chips. Seonghwa resists the urge to coo and risk another slap.

"You'll survive," he assures him. Hongjoong sighs, long and exaggerated.

"Will I, though?"

"You certainly will," he tells him, pulling at a strand of his hair. And then, to distract him, "Wanna watch something?"

Hongjoong thinks about it, tapping a finger against his slightly parted lips, and then his eyes light up with an idea. "Can we watch Kiki?"

Seonghwa chuckles, of course Hongjoong wants to watch Kiki's Delivery Service, or, as he calls it, his emotional support Ghibli film. "We can watch Kiki."

Hongjoong makes a little satisfied sound, and he settles on the bed, bringing the chip bag up to his chest and making Cat stir with an displeased _mrow_. "Nice."

"I'll go fetch the laptop," Seonghwa says, and Hongjoong beams at him with chip crumbs all over his mouth.

"You're the best," he sing-songs.

Seonghwa rolls his eyes at him fondly, and stands up for the hundredth time to go grab the laptop from the study. 

"Anything else you need before I sit down again?" he questions Hongjoong as he passes him the laptop.

"More water?" Hongjoong asks, giving his empty glass a pitying look. 

"On it," Seonghwa replies, going to the kitchen and filling the hard plastic bottle they use as a jug, and bringing it to the room with him. "Are we all set?" he asks as he places the bottle on his nightstand and sits on the bed beside Hongjoong, scooping a displaced Cat from her spot on the bed and settling her against his chest.

"Yep, if you could just turn off the light," Hongjoong says with his snotty voice, balancing the laptop that's already displaying the beginning of the film on his knees.

"Gotcha," Seonghwa reaches over to the switch and darkness engulfs them just as Hongjoong cuddles up to him and hits play on the screen.

And Seonghwa has to admit, it's not a bad prospect at all, to spend a couple of days cooped up in bed with Hongjoong just eating junk food and watching cartoon films.

* * *

"You're staring again," Yeosang says in passing, catching Seonghwa red-handed where his attention has drifted from the carnations in front of him beside the doorway and onto the counter of the other shop, where Hongjoong is happily chatting with one of the regulars as he prepares their order.

"I wasn't," he says, looking away and trying to hide his blush against the sleeve of his apron.

"You so were," Yeosang replies, placing the pots he'd been carrying on the counter. "But don't worry, he looks at you the same way when he thinks you're not looking."

That makes Seonghwa nearly drop the water spray bottle. He looks at his employee turned friend with wide eyes. "What do you mean?"

Yeosang leans against the counter, smiling smugly at him. "You know, like you're the best thing that's ever happened to him and he can't quite believe you're real?"

Seonghwa chokes on air. "He doesn't!" 

Yeosang's laugh is almost evil. "He does, all the time. And so do you."

And Seonghwa thinks about denying that accusation, saying he doesn't know what Yeosang is talking about, but not even he is dumb enough to try and cover this up with excuses.

"He _is_ the best thing that's happened to me," he says, and he hadn't intended to sound so defeated. Yeosang's eyes soften.

"Seonghwa," he starts, and Seonghwa draws comfort from the soothing tone of his voice. "Talk to him, ask him out. I guarantee you he feels the same way."

"Yeah, he doesn't," Seonghwa tells him immediately. There's no way Hongjoong's feelings for Seonghwa are anything but platonic. 

Yeosang looks at him like he's a very annoying math problem he doesn't quite feel like solving right now. "He does. He does _so much_ , it's actually painful to watch."

"Look Yeosangie, I appreciate the thought, but I'm fine, okay? I'm fine with the way things are now," Seonghwa says, risking a glance to the coffee shop. Hongjoong is behind the counter, as he always is, fingers playing with one of his earrings as he scribbles something on a piece of paper. Seonghwa wonders if they are lyrics for a new song. He looks soft and beautiful, and entirely out of Seonghwa's league. "He's way too good for me, anyway, and I'm fine with being just his friend."

Yeosang stares at him blankly for several seconds. "You can't actually be that blind."

It's said in a small, quiet voice that makes Seonghwa feel shittier than he would have if Yeosang had yelled at him. 

"I'm not blind, I'm realistic," he justifies. He's been in this game for a long fucking time, now, he knows exactly how deep his feelings for Hongjoong run, and how deep Hongjoong's feelings for him don't. "He doesn't want to be anything other than friends, and I'm fine with that."

"Except you're not," Yeosang says, and Seonghwa's head snaps back to gawk at him. "I can see the way it's eating at you. Denial can only get you so far for so long, and once you get there, you gotta act up or you'll regret it."

"Those sure are some words," Seonghwa tells him with a bitter smile, trying to deflect so that Yeosang doesn't see just how much they affected him.

Yeosang smiles, a wry little thing. "I did major in journalism."

"That you did," Seonghwa concedes. "And I appreciate your advice, I really do, but I got it figured out. Now you should change those geraniums' pots."

Yeosang looks at him for only one more moment, expression complicated, before he sighs and nods, cleverly knowing when he's being dismissed.

Seonghwa goes back to his carnations, and very pointedly doesn't look at the coffee shop counter or at his occupant.

* * *

"That was nice!" Mingi says over the headphones, and Seonghwa smiles at him through the glass, a bit giddy with excitement. It's been years since he last was in front of a mic like this, and once the initial nervousness has faded away, he's left remembering why he chose his major, even if he didn't end up making a career out of it.

"You think so?" he asks, fidgeting with his rings. This is the third song they've recorded, and so far, Mingi and Jongho have only had good things to say about them. 

"That last run was," he makes a gesture like a chef's kiss, and Seonghwa can't help but laugh, covering his mouth with his hands. "He's gonna love it, that's basically like a kink to him."

That makes Jongho laugh and Seonghwa blush, choking a bit on air. "Don't say stuff like that!"

"Why not? It's true!" Mingi retorts, smiling like he knows something Seonghwa doesn't know. "You better give this to him when we're not there, I don't particularly feel like watching him jump you." Seonghwa hides his face in his hands, feeling his cheeks flame as Mingi continues. "That is if he doesn't come in his pants right there, I mean…"

"Okay, Mingi, that's enough!" he tries to stop his younger friend, to no avail.

"No, you should seriously hear him talk about you, man, you got him going through withdrawal: 'Seonghwa would sound so nice here' and 'This bit would go so well with Seonghwa's voice', he's _so_ whipped," Mingi sentences. Seonghwa can feel heat all the way down his neck and up his ears.

"Yeah, he never shuts up about you, I thought Mingi here had it bad, but he's even _worse_ ," Jongho adds, grinning shamelessly and ducking from Mingi's shove.

"I'm not that whipped!"

"Nooo, I didn't have to hear you whine about how cute Yunho looks in his apron for an hour the other day," Jongho lets out an evil cackle. Seonghwa is scared of him sometimes.

"Are you done?" he asks, and despite the embarrassment, he can't help but feel a wave of utmost fondness for his boyfriend. 

Jongho thinks it for a second, "I think so, yes. What do you wanna do now?"

"How about 'I Like Me Better'?" Seonghwa poses, smiling at the memories the song brings.

"You got it, boss," Mingi says, and just like that, they're back to being professional.

***

Early November brings along a wave of cold and Hongjoong's birthday.

Back when they were still in college, Seonghwa used to drag Hongjoong out of their shoebox apartment and into whatever club that was open, getting them both piss drunk and into more trouble than they knew how to manage at the time. Their most memorable anecdotes (the time they stole a lampost, the time Yunho almost got arrested for public indecency, the time Hongjoong hooked up with someone they later found out was their professor next term) come from some of those nights, and Seonghwa looks back to them with a fondness only time and a head splitting hangover the day after can provide.

Now that they're older and settled (and gross, Wooyoung would add), though, Hongjoong's birthdays have turned into something less wild and more homey. They'll go to work, then Seonghwa will try and cook something nice (or nicer than usual) for dinner, and then, wherever the night takes them. They'll have a little get together on the weekend with their friends, just them and some takeout and whatever games Yunho has brought, and it's nice, and domestic, and everything Seonghwa had ever wanted for his life with Hongjoong.

This year is nothing special, but it's a bit different. Hongjoong's birthday is on a Sunday, which means they get to sleep in and have a nice lunch with the boys instead. Or it means that Seonghwa is awoken at the ungodly hour of ten in the morning by small fingers poking at his side.

"What?" he asks, disoriented and groggy. Hongjoong's face appears in his field of vision, smile bright and hair sticking out in every direction.

"It's my birthday," is all he says, and Seonghwa rubs sleep away from his eyes to try and focus better on him.

"I thought you said you didn't want breakfast in bed," he mumbles. He'd offered, and would have actually done it if Hongjoong had agreed, as much as he hates waking up early on Sundays, but Hongjoong had brushed it off, saying he preferred sleeping in. Then, why is he not doing just that?

"Nah, but I do want boyfriend in bed," he says, grinning down at Seonghwa, who's still very much out.

"Boyfriend's in bed," he replies, confused. "And he'd like to sleep for a couple more hours."

Hongjoong's grin doesn't falter. "Wouldn't he rather do something a little more interesting?"

Seonghwa raises an eyebrow at him. "What kind of something?"

Instead of replying, Hongjoong ducks down and presses a kiss to his lips, deep and slow, and Seonghwa thinks his brain is starting to catch up. 

"Oh," he mutters when Hongjoong parts from him, moving to his neck instead. " _That_ kind of something." Hongjoong makes a little affirmative sound, and Seonghwa is awake enough to flip them over and pin a very amused Hongjoong to the pillows. "Yeah, he'd like that."

Hongjoong smiles up at him with bright eyes. "Love you," he breathes. Seonghwa leans down to kiss him again.

"Love you too," he says into the kiss. "Happy birthday."

***

"Oh, good, you fucked already," is the first thing Wooyoung says when he walks through the door, his boyfriends trailing after him.

Seonghwa sputters. "How did you _know_ that?"

"You just confirmed it," Wooyoung replies with a smirk, and Seonghwa balks, realizing he's fallen headfirst into his trap.

"Why do we keep inviting you?" he asks, to try and mask his embarrassment. 

"We're a package deal," Wooyoung reminds him without missing a beat. "You can't have only one, it's all three or nothing."

"Some days I'd trade you and San for a corn chip," Seonghwa tells him, and Wooyoung fakes an offended gasp.

"And not Yeosang?!"

"Yeosang is actually nice to me, sometimes," Seonghwa says, sitting beside the aforementioned man, who just raises an eyebrow at him in question. San has already located Cat and is lying on the floor while she plays with his hair.

"Only if you're not being dumb," he reasons, and Seonghwa holds his head with his hand, feigning a headache. 

"Sometimes I can't stand any of you," he sighs, and both Wooyoung and Yeosang burst out laughing. A voice breaks through their laughter, making Seonghwa raise his head. 

"Seonghwa, can you come help me with this for a moment?" Hongjoong asks from the doorway of the kitchen, making a little beckoning gesture.

Seonghwa stands amidst the teasing jabs of their friends, and enters the kitchen just after Hongjoong.

"What is it?" he asks, confused. Last time he checked, Hongjoong was just getting drinks for everyone.

Hongjoong turns to him with a small smile. "Nothing, you just looked like you needed saving."

Something in Seonghwa goes impossibly soft as he stares at Hongjoong in his too-long sweater and faded jeans, his hair frazzled from running his hands through it, and his eyes fond where they smile at Seonghwa.

"Come here," he mutters, pulling Hongjoong close and engulfing him in a hug. The other makes himself small so that he can tuck his head under Seonghwa's chin. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, you know that, right?"

Hongjoong makes a little humming sound, his arms tight where they hold Seonghwa's waist. "I like hearing you say it, though."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Seonghwa whispers against his hair. Some days he feels like his love for Hongjoong is like the air he breathes, and today is one of them. It feels like every day he spends with Hongjoong he falls more and more in love with him, and some days it scares him just how much he doesn't want to ever stop doing so.

"You'd probably have less problems," Hongjoong says, sounding amused and fond. 

"I knew what I was signing up for when I chose you," Seonghwa tells him. He starts gently rocking them from side to side, moving like they're dancing to a music only they can hear.

"Mm, yes, I like how you looked at me and said: oh, I want this idiot in particular," Hongjoong laughs. 

Seonghwa kisses his head, smiling. "It wasn't much of a choice at all."

"Sap," Hongjoong accuses him, but there's nothing but fondness in his voice, and he makes no move to pull away from Seonghwa's arms.

"Only for you," he assures him. Hongjoong doesn't reply, just hums and lets Seonghwa hold him.

They stay like that for a while, quietly slow dancing in the kitchen as their friends make a ruckus in the living room. Eventually, the doorbell rings, breaking their little bubble, and Seonghwa reluctantly lets Hongjoong remove himself from his arms.

"Will you get it?" he asks, eyes soft and full of adoration. Seonghwa would tease him for it if he weren't sure he's giving him a similar or worse look.

"Yeah."

"Good," Hongjoong mutters, before standing on his tiptoes and cradling Seonghwa's face with his hands, pressing a kiss to his lips. His hands linger on Seonghwa's jaw when he pulls away, and Seonghwa can't help but chase after him. "Keep the kids entertained while I get the drinks."

Seonghwa sighs against his lips. "Of course."

He takes a step back, smiling when Hongjoong smiles up at him, and makes one last kissy face at Hongjoong just to make him laugh before he walks out of the kitchen to go greet the rest of their friends. 

He'll have time with Hongjoong alone later, now, it's their friend's turn.

  
  


*** 

Hongjoong drops down on the couch as Mingi and Jongho finally walk out the door, closing his eyes and stretching his arms up against the arm of it. Seonghwa watches him fondly as he starts picking up litter from their evening together. There's not a lot of it, Jongho and Yeosang offered to do the dishes, and he'd bullied Wooyoung and San into throwing away the empty containers on their way out. Looking at the living room and then at Hongjoong's figure draped over the couch, he decides cleaning up can wait, and approaches the couch with a smile.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, lifting Hongjoong's head and sitting down, placing it on his thigh. Hongjoong makes a little appreciative sound and immediately curls into himself, getting comfortable with his head on Seonghwa's lap.

"Tired," he says, with his eyes still closed. Social gatherings tend to drain him, Seonghwa still doesn't understand how he manages to work a customer service job every day. "But happy."

"I'm glad to hear that," he tells Hongjoong, carding a hand through his hair. Hongjoong makes a sound that could very easily be a purr. "Are you hungry for dinner?"

Hongjoong thinks it over, his eyebrows furrowing adorably. "I don't think so, I'm too tired."

Seonghwa hums in agreement. "How about you take a shower while I make us something light, and then I'll give you your present?"

Hongjoong perks up at that, opening his eyes and looking up at Seonghwa. "There's a present?"

Seonghwa chuckles, poking his nose. "There might be."

"What is it?" 

"It's a surprise," Seonghwa laughs when Hongjoong makes a face at him. He's so cute when he's tired and stops putting up the confident act. Seonghwa leans down to kiss him softly. "Shower first, you'll feel better."

Hongjoong makes a little displeased sound, but still gets up. "Don't make anything too fancy, I'll probably fall asleep before I'm able to finish it."

Seonghwa smiles at him, trying not to coo when he rubs at his eyes with a hand. It would probably only earn him a slap. "Got it."

Hongjoong nods, walking over to the bathroom, and Seonghwa watches his back, endeared by everything about him. He gets up from the couch then, and steps into the kitchen, opening the fridge and getting to work. 

Cat headbutts his leg a while later, having come back from wherever she was hiding, and Seonghwa steps away from the stove long enough to open a can of food for her and place it on the floor by the door. Look at him, he thinks, feeding both his babies. Hongjoong would probably kick him for that, but since he's not here, Seonghwa can laugh at the notion all he wants.

By the time Hongjoong steps out of the shower, drowning in a hoodie that's big on Seonghwa but that looks ridiculously oversized on him, Seonghwa has set the table, and is playing with Cat on the floor, teasing her with one of her toys.

"Hey, love, feeling any better?" he asks Hongjoong when he sits on one of the chairs. Hongjoong smiles when Cat immediately ditches Seonghwa to go rub against his legs.

"Hello, angel," he says, picking her up. "Yeah," he tells Seonghwa, who laughs at Hongjoong's silly voice as he begins to talk to Cat.

"I'll bring the food," he informs him, and Hongjoong sends him a grateful smile. His face turns curious when Seonghwa brings the food over, though, and he stops petting Cat to give him his full attention.

"Strawberries?" he asks, lifting an eyebrow. "In November?"

"It's part of the surprise," Seonghwa tells him, placing the bowl of leafless strawberries down on the table and going to retrieve the other component of their dinner.

Hongjoong's eyebrows climb up to his hairline before he bursts out laughing, startling Cat enough that she jumps from his lap and goes to curl up on the couch. "Are you trying to woo me?"

Seonghwa sets the bowl of chocolate next to the strawberries and returns his smile as he sits down in front of him. "Is it working?"

Hongjoong laughs again, and Seonghwa stares, shamelessly at the way his perfect heart-shaped lips pull back into a gummy smile and his eyes crinkle at the corners, nose scrunching up in glee. Hongjoong is perhaps the most beautiful person Seonghwa has ever seen, and he will never get tired of looking at him just because.

"Yeah, I'm feeling positively woo'd," Hongjoong confirms, picking a strawberry and dipping it into the chocolate before stuffing it into his mouth whole. "Very romantic," he says through it, sounding not romantic at all. Seonghwa loves him so much he thinks he could burst.

"Thanks, I try," he says, copying him, and laughing when Hongjoong doesn't even wait to finish one strawberry before he's already biting down on another, making his cheeks swell cutely. "You look like a hamster."

Hongjoong snorts, chewing furiously before he can swallow the strawberries. "They're good," is all he says, before he goes back to inhaling them. Seonghwa just watches him fondly, eating much more slowly than him, but not caring one bit about being left without any food. Hongjoong is so cute like this, chocolate smeared on his face and cheeks full of food, chewing happily as he smiles at Seonghwa with bright eyes. Seonghwa still isn't sure what he did to deserve him.

"You're staring again," Hongjoong tells him after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"What can I say? You're cute," Seonghwa defends himself. 

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. "Whipped."

"Yeah," there's no point in denying it. Hongjoong shakes his head, but Seonghwa doesn't miss the slight blush on his cheeks.

"Do I get my present now?" he asks, trying to divert attention, and Seonghwa lets him this once.

"Wait here **,"** he commands. He stands, taking the empty bowls and putting them on the sink, walking to their room and retrieving Hongjoong's gift from its hideout. He holds it to his chest for a second, willing his heart to stop racing, before he comes out of the room. "Close your eyes," he instructs Hongjoong, who complies immediately, sitting sideways on his chair. Seonghwa steps closer to him, crouching in front of him and smiling at Hongjoong's focused face.

"Is this some sort of sketchy bondage thing?" Hongjoong asks, playing with the sleeves of his hoodie. Seonghwa can't help a chuckle, and he leans in and presses a kiss to Hongjoong's unsuspecting lips, just because. Hongjoong jumps, but allows Seonghwa to kiss him gently for a second, smiling into it.

"It's not," he mutters against Hongjoong's mouth, and pulls back to rest on his knees in front of him. "Hold your hands out."

Hongjoong does so, cupping his hands in front of him and waiting for Seonghwa to drop his present on them. Seonghwa carefully places it on top of them, laughing when Hongjoong's face scrunches in confusion, and taps it once before he says, "You can open your eyes now."

And Hongjoong does, looking at Seonghwa for a second before he turns his gaze down to his hands and his eyes grow impossibly wide when he sees what's in them.

The CD case reads _Songs for Hongjoong_ by Park Seonghwa, and the cover is a dramatic black and white shot of Seonghwa in the studio, looking lost in thought as he reads through some lyrics. Jongho had insisted on using that picture, and he'd even edited it to make it look like an album cover. It makes Seonghwa a bit embarrassed, if he's honest, but he hopes Hongjoong likes it. 

Hongjoong turns the case to look at the back, where a tracklist names a total of ten of Hongjoong's favorite songs, mixed with some personal picks Seonghwa wanted to include. Songs relevant to their relationship, or that simply remind Seonghwa of Hongjoong. Each song is here for a reason, and Seonghwa knows Hongjoong will appreciate it.

Seonghwa looks at Hongjoong as he opens the case slowly, his hands a bit shaky, and watches as he pinches his bottom lip between his teeth, his eyes wide and almost reverent as they scan over the CD again and again.

"Well?" Seonghwa asks gently, thumbs brushing Hongjoong's knees where his hands are resting.

"I-" Hongjoong starts, his voice sounding strained. "You- is this what I think it is?"

He looks up at Seonghwa with eyes that look a little too sparkly, a little too hopeful, and Seonghwa wants nothing more than to keep making him happy for as long as he can. 

"Mingi and Jon helped me record them," he explains, smiling slightly. "I also have a USB with the files and some commentary on it, because I know you like that stuff."

Hongjoong stares at him like he's staring at the face of God. "You recorded an entire album for me?"

"I mean, it's not much," Seonghwa hurries to clarify. "It's just covers, and I haven't been in a studio in years, so don't expect-"

"Seonghwa," Hongjoong cuts him gently, and when Seonghwa looks back at him there are silent tears streaming down his cheeks.

He quickly brings his hands up, wiping them away with his thumbs and staring at Hongjoong with concern. "No, my love, why?"

Hongjoong lets out a wet chuckle, holding Seonghwa's wrists and leaning against his hands. "Because I love you, and you're too good to me, and I don't deserve you."

That makes Seonghwa's heart squeeze with irony, because wasn't he thinking something similar just a few minutes ago? He brushes his thumb under Hongjoong's eye, wiping away the wetness there, and shakes his head. "You deserve the world. Hell, if there was a way to give you the entire universe, I would, because you deserve that and more, but somehow you've settled for me."

"Why would I want the stupid universe when I have you?" Hongjoong says, taking Seonghwa's hands so that he can bring them to his lips and place soft kisses on his palms. He holds them in his, bringing them to his heart. "You're all I've ever wanted, I wouldn't dream of asking for anything else."

Seonghwa feels his eyes begin to prickle, and he knows he's going to cry soon, too, if Hongjoong keeps that up. "Drop the poetics, will you?"

Hongjoong's smile is like watching the sun shine after a summer afternoon rain. Shy, temptative, but with the promise of so much more warmth and light than one can possibly imagine just within. "You started it."

Seonghwa rolls his eyes, impossibly fond, and retrieves his hands to brush some hair away from his eyes. "Yeah, but I'm not the songwriter here."

"No, you're the song singer," Hongjoong says, holding the CD to his chest. His smile is back to being radiant, and Seonghwa is so in love with him he thinks he could float. "I've wanted this for so long."

"I know," Seonghwa tells him softly. "It's not much, but I hope you like them."

"Are you kidding? My favorite person singing my favorite songs? I love them," Hongjoong grins.

"You haven't even listened to them yet!" Seonghwa laughs, relieved.

"I don't care, you made them, and therefore I love them by extension," Hongjoong explains happily.

"And then you call me a sap," Seonghwa says with a fond shake of his head.

"Shut up," Hongjoong retorts, his cheeks turning the loveliest shade of pink. "You just gave me the most niche, best present ever, let me be sappy for once."

"I didn't say you couldn't." 

"Good, because I won't shut up about this any time soon," Hongjoong assures him. Seonghwa has no doubt of that.

"I wouldn't expect anything else," he says truthfully. Hongjoong grins at him, and then he yawns. Seonghwa places his hands on his knees again, making to stand up. "Should we go to bed?"

Hongjoong nods, rubbing at one of his eyes. It's early, but Hongjoong has looked ready to pass out since an hour ago, and they have to wake up early for work tomorrow.

"Can I put the files on my phone before we go to sleep? I wanna listen to them tomorrow on the subway," Hongjoong asks.

Seonghwa smiles as he stands up, holding out a hand to him. "Of course, love."

Hongjoong smiles as he takes his hand, and Seonghwa thinks he really doesn't need much more than that smile to keep him going.

* * *

Wooyoung, San and Yeosang get a cat.

To be fair, Wooyoung and San make eyes at Yeosang for almost an entire year until the older of the three agrees, and then, they get a cat. 

Seonghwa, connoisseur of the feeling of trying to convince your significant other to get a cat, was, for once, a firm supporter or San and Wooyoung’s cause, to the point that Yeosang threatened to kick him out of his own shop more than once. It was worth it, though, when he gets a text from Wooyoung on a Sunday morning that consists of only a row of exclamation marks and a picture of San holding a tabby cat and smiling like a loon.

"They did it!" He yells, making Hongjoong startle where he's sitting next to him in bed, only one earphone in as he moves things around in his composing program.

"Eh?" he asks, making a face and pausing the track he's working on.

"Woosan! They convinced Yeosang!" Seonghwa replies, shoving his phone under Hongjoong's nose, so close that Hongjoong almost goes cross-eyed trying to see the picture.

"Oh! Poor Yeosang," he laughs, and Seonghwa laughs with him as he types a reply to Wooyoung that has several more exclamation marks, along with some heart emojis.

 _come meet him asap!_ Wooyoung texts back almost instantly, and Seonghwa really can't say no to that.

"Hongjoongie," he starts, and turns to him with a slowly growing grin. Hongjoong looks at him and grimaces.

"No, I know that face," he says with a pout. Seonghwa wants to kiss it away, but that's not the plan right now. 

"Let's go meet the kitty," Seonghwa suggests, but they both know it's not much of a proposal at all, but rather a decision that's already been made.

"What if I don't wanna?" Hongjoong questions, even if they both know he's just doing it to be difficult. Seonghwa shrugs a shoulder.

"Then I'll go alone," he says, and they both know he doesn't mean it. Hongjoong sighs.

"Fine," he concedes, and Seonghwa's lips are on his before he can finish the word.

"Finish up while I shower," he breathes against his mouth, before pulling back. Hongjoong nods, his eyes still surprised from the quick kiss. Seonghwa ruffles his hair as he stands. "Good boy."

The pillow collides with the back of his head with scary precision.

***

"You're so loud!" Seonghwa marvels, scratching under Oscar's chin and giggling when the cat closes his eyes and purrs, _loudly_.

"It's because he's part Siamese, apparently," San informs him, upside down on the couch. Seonghwa wonders if he would purr too, if he scratched under his chin.

"That's also why he's like," Wooyoung crosses his eyes in a funny face, mimicking Oscar's blue, cross-eyed stare from where he's sitting on the floor next to San. They all laugh.

"He's perfect," Seonghwa assures them, and they both grin.

Yeosang and Hongjoong watch from a prudential distance, in on the conversation, but slightly separated from the crazy cat men.

"You get used to it," Seonghwa hears Hongjoong tell Yeosang, who nods, looking torn between contempt for the cat and fondness for his boyfriends.

"Yes, and then they end up liking you more than the ones who wanted them in the first place," Seonghwa adds, smiling when Oscar decides his lap is a good place to curl up in.

"I told you to stop being salty over that!" Hongjoong scolds him. "I can't control what the child wants!"

"The fact that you just referred to your cat as your child is cute, but also slightly perturbing," San mutters.

"He does it all the time," Seonghwa tells him in a theatrical stage-whisper. "Sometimes he calls himself her dad and that's almost cuter."

"Ew," Wooyoung sentences, and dodges Hongjoong's kick skillfully.

"Shut up, all of you," Hongjoong hisses, his cheeks flaming. He's so cute when he's flustered. "Go back to drooling over the cat."

And they do, because they're easily appeased like that.

"The shelter lady told us he used to live in a graveyard," Wooyoung tells Seonghwa, who is busy petting Oscar's head as he purrs up a storm in his lap. "So we were like, yeah, that's edgy enough."

"Yes, because our cat _has_ to be edgy," Yeosang points out, with a roll of his eyes. 

Wooyoung, far from being discouraged by the sarcasm, slides on the floor until he can rest his arms on Yeosang's lap and rest his chin on them. "Of course," he says, batting his eyelashes up at him, and Yeosang looks away, a subtle blush tinting his ears red as San laughs.

Seonghwa has an idea, then. "They could have a playdate!"

"Pardon?" Hongjoong asks, at the same time that San says.

"What?"

"Cat and Oscar," Seonghwa clarifies. "We could introduce them to each other, and they could have a playdate."

"Oh, God, why does he sound like a parent trying to set our kids on a date?" Wooyoung questions, looking slightly disgusted.

"Because that's exactly what he is," Hongjoong tells him, ignoring the pout Seonghwa sends his way.

"I think it's a bit too soon for that," Yeosang is the one who actually replies to him, as usual. "Oscar needs to get settled first."

Seonghwa nods in understanding. "But after that, we must."

"It would be fun!" San supports him, in true San fashion.

"Right?!" Seonghwa turns to the only person who shares his enthusiasm. San nods, and soon they're bouncing ideas for a playdate back and forth.

Which means they both miss the endeared stares of every other occupant of the room.

* * *

“I’m not sure, Hwa,” Hongjoong says again.

“It’ll be fine,” Seonghwa tells him for the thousandth time. He lifts his hand to ring the doorbell when Hongjoong’s voice stops him.

“Wait, can you…” he trails off, and Seonghwa turns to him, worried. He’s standing there, in the middle of Seonghwa’s childhood home’s driveway, clutching his bag to his chest, and looking ready to throw up at any moment, eyes wide as they stare at Seonghwa and _plead_ , even if he’s too stubborn to properly ask what he wants.

“Hey,” Seonghwa says softly, dropping his own bag and closing the space between them, wrapping his arms around Hongjoong. The shorter man melts in his embrace, hiding his face on Seonghwa’s neck.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters, muffled. “I’m just nervous.”

Seonghwa kisses his temple. “I know, love. But it’ll be fine, yeah? They love you already.”

“Yeah, but it’s one thing to like me over FaceTime, and another thing to meet me in person,” Hongjoong tries to reason, like it would make any difference. Like Seonghwa’s parents aren’t as smitten with him as Seonghwa is.

“Hongjoong,” Seonghwa says softly, running his hand up and down his back. “They adore you, you know that. There’s nothing you could say or do to make them stop liking you.”

They’ve had some version of this conversation at least once every hour ever since they set foot in Korea, and that was quite a handful of hours ago. When Hongjoong hasn’t been scared about the whole meeting Seonghwa’s parents thing, he’s started worrying about his Korean being too bad, and has quickly worked himself into funks Seonghwa has managed to slowly work him out of every time. So far he hasn’t had any problem with the language, because despite his fears, his level is not as bad as he thinks, but Seonghwa will try to make him see that later. For the past hour and a half, though, he has dropped that particular front and has instead been worrying himself sick over what Seonghwa’s parents will think of him.

The thing is, Hongjoong has never met Seonghwa's parents in person. Despite all the years of knowing each other, the chance never arose until now, so Seonghwa can understand the concern growing in Hongjoong's heart. But that doesn't make it any less unfounded.

“There’s plenty of things!” Hongjoong cries, and Seonghwa stops him before he can begin, pulling him back and planting a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Stop thinking,” he whispers against Hongjoong’s lips, kissing him again, a bit firmer this time. “You’re amazing, and they love you, and so do I.”

“This is not fair play,” Hongjoong complains, but he seems to have dropped the issue. Seonghwa smiles down at him as he sighs.

“Let’s go in?” he says. Hongjoong scrunches his eyes shut.

“Kiss me again first,” he asks, and Seonghwa complies, smiling into it.

***

As expected, Seonghwa’s parents are delighted with Hongjoong.

After the first shock and comments (“You’re even more handsome in person!” His mom. “You’re shorter than I thought.” Thanks, dad), and the mandatory round of questions and embarrassing stories about Seonghwa, Hongjoong seems more relaxed than he has been all day, to the point that he even allows Seonghwa’s dad to teach him how to cook his famous sweet and sour chicken.

Seonghwa watches him fondly from the couch as he battles with a knife and a clove of garlic, feeling like one more piece of their little puzzle has fallen into place. 

“He makes you very happy,” his mom says from beside him, and when Seonghwa turns to look at her, she’s looking at him with that fond, slightly bittersweet look he gets when she thinks about her boys growing up. 

“He does,” he replies, even though it wasn’t a question.

His mom throws an arm over his shoulders, and he lets her pull him in, resting his head on her shoulder even if he has to bend down to do so. God, he’s missed her.

“I’m so glad you’ve found your person,” she tells him, and Seonghwa closes his eyes and breathes in her comforting scent. 

“Do you think he’s it?” 

His mom used to tell them tales, when they were little, about soulmates and split-aparts. Seonghwa loved those tales more than anything, loved the idea of some day finding someone who would be made for him, and whom he’d be made for. Thinking of Hongjoong as that person… it makes him feel as giddy as he is afraid.

“I would like to think he is,” his mom replies against his hair. “At least, I know I would like him to be.”

“Me too,” he confesses in a small voice, words muffled by her blouse. “More than anything.”

His mom kisses his head. “Then I don’t see why he can’t be.”

“Really?” Seonghwa asks, breathless. His mom nods.

“The way he looks at you… This boy would do anything for you, Seonghwa,” she says, and Seonghwa feels his heart ache in his chest.

“I would, too,” he chokes out. “For him.”

“There you have it,” his mom says, voice smiling. Seonghwa nods against her shoulder, feeling like he’s ten all over again.

“I want to keep him for as long as he’ll have me,” he admits. These are things he’d never tell anyone, but his mom has always been his biggest confidant when it comes to his real feelings.

“I’m sure he does too,” his mom assures him. Seonghwa hums, too choked up by emotion for a second.

"I love him so much it hurts sometimes," he whispers, and he will _not_ cry over this, absolutely not.

His mom makes a little understanding sound. "Does he know?"

"I think he does," Seonghwa says, smiling slightly. "I'm a bit annoying, you know?"

His mom tuts him. "There's no such thing as telling someone you love them too many times. I raised you to be honest, didn't I?"

"You did," Seonghwa confirms. His heart feels so light being here again, in the familiar comfort of his mom's embrace. "Hey, mom?"

"Hm?"

"I love you too," he tells her softly.

"Oh, baby," his mom laughs, squeezing him against her. "So do I."

They fall silent after that, and Seonghwa lets himself relax and be held for a while in the arms of the woman who understands him better than anyone.

***

Hongjoong lies on his chest, that night, the house settling around them in sighs as they speak in whispers.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Seonghwa asks against his hair. It feels weird to be in the guest room instead of his childhood bed, but his mom had taken a look at how Hongjoong was falling asleep with his head on Seonghwa's shoulder and she'd insisted they take it.

"It was nice," Hongjoong says, his words slow with sleep. "Your parents are so nice."

"Hm... they are," Seonghwa concedes, tracing Hongjoong's spine with a finger.

"I feel like now I understand some things about you a lot better," Hongjoong says with a relaxed chuckle. Seonghwa makes a surprised noise.

"Do you, now?"

Hongjoong nods. "The cooking skills clearly come from your dad," he says, and Seonghwa makes an agreeing noise. "So does the lame humor."

"Hey!" Seonghwa protests, slapping his butt lightly for the jab.

"It's true!" Hongjoong laughs. Seonghwa huffs at him as he continues. "But the softness comes from your mom. You're both the same kind of gentle."

That makes Seonghwa stop. "I- that actually means a lot."

Hongjoong nods again, and his hand finds Seonghwa's, bringing it to his lips. "I've noticed you love her a lot."

"I do," Seonghwa says, easy as breathing. He feels Hongjoong smile against his knuckles.

"That's sweet."

Neither of them says anything for a long time, and Seonghwa feels Hongjoong start to drift off. He must be exhausted, it's been a very long day. He repositions them so that they're lying on their sides, and Hongjoong mutters something unintelligible, cuddling closer to Seonghwa instinctively.

"I love you," Seonghwa whispers against his hair, holding him close. "And I intend to keep doing so for as long as you let me."

"How does forever sound?" Hongjoong whispers back, and Seonghwa startles because he thought Hongjoong was sleeping already. 

It's something so sudden, so unlike Hongjoong, who usually shies away from anything remotely close to what he considers sappy, that Seonghwa has to pull back a bit to look at him and make sure he's not dreaming.

"Do you mean that?" he asks, breathless. Hongjoong has his eyes closed, his lips curling in a little smile that's equal parts satisfied and embarrassed.

“Don’t make me repeat it,” he chuckles, scrunching his nose, and Seonghwa would pluck the moon from the sky if he asked. 

He doesn’t make him repeat it. Instead, he leans in and kisses Hongjoong, soft and sweet and gentle. Instead of saying his feelings out loud, he presses them to Hongjoong’s lips in silent promises until they both fall asleep.

* * *

Seonghwa comes back from class to the apartment one day to find Hongjoong on the living room floor, hunched over something that looks like a small, bright orange guitar.

“What’s that?” he asks, dropping his bag on the floor and going to sit on the couch. Hongjoong looks up at him with startled eyes, almost like he hadn’t heard him come in. His hair is up in a tiny ponytail on top of his head, and Seonghwa thinks he’s perhaps the cutest human being alive.

“A ukulele,” he replies, plucking a string. It makes a sort of dissonant sound, and both of them wince. “I’m trying to tune it.”

“When did you get a ukulele?” Seonghwa asks him, making a grabby hand for it. Hongjoong passes it to him wordlessly, and Seonghwa tries not to focus on the way their fingers brush softly.

“Two hours ago,” Hongjoong replies, and watches with rapt interest as Seonghwa begins plucking at the strings and adjusting the tuning keys. “It’s G, C, E, A.”

“Got it,” Seonghwa mutters, focusing on the notes for a moment. Some five minutes later, and with the help of his phone, he has it properly tuned, and hands it back to Hongjoong, who strums a single chord on it.

“Nice. I’m so jealous of you for being able to do that,” he says, shooting Seonghwa a smile. Seonghwa shrugs a shoulder, pretending he isn’t affected by the subtle compliment.

“It’s not that cool,” he deflects. 

Hongjoong strums another chord at him, accusatory. “It is a bit cool. And it’s useful.”

“Not as cool as composing songs, though,” he pushes, wanting to draw attention away from himself. These days, he feels like he ought to squirm when Hongjoong stares at him for too long. He’s convinced his attraction is written all over his face in bright neon letters, and that Hongjoong will point it out any minute now, call him out on it and tell him to fuck off and find another roommate.

“I could use it when I’m struggling with a melody,” Hongjoong points out, retrieving his phone from under the coffee table and tinkering with it. “Pick a song.”

“What?” Seonghwa blinks at him, confused by the sudden change of topic.

“Pick a song for me to play,” Hongjoong tells him, wiggling the ukulele in front of his face.

“When did you learn to play?” Seonghwa asks, in turn. He doesn’t think he’s seen Hongjoong play anything that’s not a piano.

“I didn’t,” Hongjoong says. “I’m learning now. I know like, three basic chords that I looked up earlier, and I’m just planning on winging the rest.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a Hongjoong way to learn how to play an instrument,” Seonghwa laughs. Hongjoong makes a face at him, but doesn’t contradict him. 

“Yeah, but I need a song,” he reminds Seonghwa. 

“Okay let me think about it,” Seonghwa tells him, fiddling with his fingers as he thinks. There’s not any song that’s particularly stuck in his head right now, so he quickly makes a mental run of the songs he’s listened to these past days and a little light bulb lights up in his brain. “Oh, I know! There’s this song in that playlist you made, the one with the truths.”

Hongjoong furrows his eyebrows for a second before he recognizes the song Seonghwa is talking about. “South!”

“Yes! I really like that one,” Seonghwa confesses. Hongjoong grins and begins typing on his phone.

“South... Sleeping at Last… Ukulele… Chords…” he recites as he types, nose scrunched in concentration. 

Seonghwa stares at him, absolutely smitten with everything about his small roommate, from his messy light brown hair to the paint-splattered jeans to the sparkly nail polish on his pinky. Hongjoong is so loud in all the good senses, unapologetic and vibrant and brilliant, so different from Seonghwa yet somehow so in tune with him, and Seonghwa thinks it was only a matter of time before he fell head over heels for him. 

Hongjoong’s scrunch turns displeased, “What are these chords?” he asks, clearly not liking what he’s seeing.

“You don’t have to play it if it’s too difficult,” Seonghwa immediately tells him. He should know better though, because if Hongjoong is something, it’s stubborn beyond belief.

“No, wait, there’s a simplify option, let me just…” he taps a couple of things on his screen and suddenly he’s beaming, setting the phone on the floor in front of him. “Now, that’s better.”

Seonghwa nods, brain a bit mushy from that smile, and looks as Hongjoong does a quick run of the chords. He tries again, nodding quietly to himself when he considers he’s got them, and then tries a couple of strumming patterns until he settles for something he likes. Watching Hongjoong go through the entire process of teaching himself to play a song is mesmerizing. There’s this sort of intensity to his gaze, in his posture, the way he silently mouths the words of the song to himself as he tries out the chords with the strumming pattern, and the way a smile blooms in his lips when the final result is the one he wanted.

“Okay, I think I got it,” he tells Seonghwa, who just nods dumbly at him. Hongjoong takes a deep breath and focuses on his phone again, doing a run of the chords before he starts singing. 

And _oh_. 

Seonghwa knew, in some distant part of his mind, that Hongjoong would probably sing, but he had not prepared himself for Hongjoong’s angelic voice softly giving life to words that suddenly hit Seonghwa a bit too close to where it hurts. Because Seonghwa does wish he could hide some truths. Like the fact that he’s in love with Hongjoong. The fact that he thinks he has been for the biggest part of the past year, since before they decided to move in together. The fact that it’s so obvious that he’s surprised Hongjoong hasn’t fled yet. 

“ _If truth is north, then i am true south. I can't figure it out…_ ” Hongjoong continues to sing, oblivious to just how much Seonghwa’s heart is constricting inside his chest now. He sure as Hell can’t figure it out. What does one do in a situation like his? Hopelessly in love with his roommate, who is also one of his closest friends, who is the brightest person Seonghwa has ever met, and who is entirely unattainable by all means. How could Hongjoong-- kind, passionate, charming Hongjoong-- ever think or feel about Seonghwa the way Seonghwa feels about him?

“ _Some truths take our breath away. Some truths get tired the longer we wait_ ,” Hongjoong’s fingers trip on a chord and he lets out a little ashamed laugh, and Seonghwa does feel like the breath has been stolen from his lungs at the sound. He feels his throat burning with the urge to say the things that are in his mind. It would take three words. Just three words and he wouldn’t have to carry this tired truth any longer. Three words to make or break things with Hongjoong. Three words and his world could change forever, for better or for worse.

He doesn’t say them.

Hongjoong finishes the song abruptly, laughing at his clumsiness with the instrument, and Seonghwa reacts on autopilot, clapping and making some witty comment, even if his mind is a thousand miles away, fixed on Hongjoong’s smile, on the way he laughs around words, the way his eyes shine when he talks about all the songs he wants to learn to play. 

He doesn’t say them, and his truth grows a little more tired, a little heavier.

* * *

Hongjoong crashes through the door of the flower shop batting his arms around and bouncing, and Seonghwa has just enough time to grab him by the waist before he crashes into the shelves on the opposite wall.

"Woah, calm down there, love," he says, straightening Hongjoong up. The shorter boy just continues to gesticulate, seemingly unaffected, his white hair bouncing as he practically _vibrates_ with excitement.

"Yunho!! Mingi!!!! Aaah!!!!" he says, pointing to the coffee shop frantically.

"What?" Seonghwa asks, giving him a puzzled look. "Words, my love, not everyone speaks Hongjoong."

Hongjoong frowns, and takes a breath to explain whatever it was that got him in such a frenzy when Yeosang skiddles to the door, his eyes wide as he cries, "Did I just see Mingi and Yunho kissing outside?!"

Hongjoong lets out a squeal that sounds a bit like a _Yes!_ and goes back to bouncing, tugging at Seonghwa's sleeve as he stares at him with bright eyes.

"Oh," Seonghwa mutters, and then. "Well, what are we doing here?"

That elicits a laugh from Yeosang and another sound from Hongjoong, who grabs his hand and pulls him after Yeosang to the coffee shop. 

They pile up at the door, sticking their heads out and watching as, effectively, Mingi has a rather flustered Yunho pinned to the wall, hands on his hips as he kisses him deeply.

"Ew," Yeosang whispers from under Seonghwa. "I think I just saw a tongue."

"Shh!" Hongjoong shushes him, his hands clutching Seonghwa's arm. "They'll hear you."

"Oh, so you can talk, after all," Seonghwa mutters, and earns himself a pinch. "Ouch."

"I said shh," Hongjoong hisses, his eyes intently fixed on the two tall men making out a few feet away from them. People are staring at them, but they don't seem to mind, caught in their own little bubble, and Seonghwa envies them a bit for that. 

Mingi parts to whisper something and Yunho giggles, cheeks flushed and eyes shiny, and Seonghwa finds himself smiling at how genuinely happy they both look.

"Oh, God, they're so cute, I think I'm gonna be sick," Yeosang deadpans, and Seonghwa has to reign in a snicker.

"I'll kick both your asses, can't you shut up for two minutes?" Hongjoong threatens. Seonghwa tears his eyes from the couple to share a look with Yeosang, and immediately has to look away to stop himself from laughing again.

Mingi and Yunho continue in their own world, limbs tangled and exchanging soft words and kisses, and it honestly makes Seonghwa a little soft inside, soft enough to thread his fingers through Hongjoong's, smiling when the other immediately squeezes his hand.

Eventually, the two lovebirds part, sharing one last languid kiss that puts most kissing scenes to shame, and turning their own ways. That's when Yunho's rosy, dreamy face encounters his three coworkers perched like gargoyles on the door to the shop.

"Oh my God," he says, clasping his hands in front of his mouth as his face grows a dangerous shade of red.

"Great, you broke him," Yeosang tells Hongjoong, who bristles immediately.

"Me?! It was Seonghwa's idea!"

"Excuse you?" Seonghwa asks, betrayed. He retracts his hand from Hongjoong's. "Does someone feel like sleeping on the couch tonight?"

Hongjoong rolls his eyes at him. "Oh, please, like you could."

That makes Seonghwa jump at him, trying to put him in a headlock as Yeosang laughs. "You'll eat those words, you traitorous little-"

"Uh, guys?" Yunho's voice cuts through the ruckus, his face still very much flushed, but looking a bit more composed. Seonghwa stops trying to smother Hongjoong to focus on him. "Who's tending the shop?"

"Oh." Hongjoong lowers Seonghwa's arms, which he had still been holding from trying to fend him off, and looks over his shoulder inside the shop. "There's no one."

It's true. By some faithful turn of destiny, the entire cafe is empty. 

"Okay then," Yeosang says, and they all stand firmer. "Gossip break."

He pushes everyone inside the shop and turns the little sign on the door from _Come in! We're open_ to _Sorry, we're closed_. 

Once inside, they instinctively gravitate towards the back of the room, sitting around one of the tables in a conspiratorial manner.

"Alright, Yun, you better explain everything," Hongjoong says, his head on Seonghwa's shoulder. Seonghwa only allows it because he's cute.

"I can't believe you were all just watching," Yunho says, still looking quite mortified.

"You say that like you wouldn't have done the same thing," Hongjoong reasons.

"I- no… okay, maybe I would," he admits, looking away.

"So," Yeosang says, eager to get things done. "Since when?"

"Yesterday?" 

"So recent!" Seonghwa gasps. Although it was a long time coming, it's still exciting to finally see it happening.

Yunho's ears grow a bit redder. "Yeah, I… uh, I went over to play Overwatch and, well, one thing lead to another, and maybe I ended up staying the night," he says the last bit all in one breath, and it sounds like _maybeIendedupstayingthenight_ , his entire face crimson by now.

"So are you two…" Hongjoong trails off, making a sign with his hands. 

"Together? Y-yes, yeah, I guess," Yunho stammers.

"You guess?" Yeosang says, raising an eyebrow.

"I _know_! I mean, we are, it's just all so sudden and intense," Yunho clarifies. Seonghwa can't help but smile sympathetically at him.

"I'm happy for you both," he tells him, patting his hand on the table.

"Who else knows?" Yeosang asks, direct to the saucy bits.

"I mean, Jongho, poor thing..." Yunho mutters, his cheeks growing even redder if it's possible.

"Okay! We don't want details!" Hongjoong cries, tensing up and throwing his hands in front of him to stop Yunho from saying anything else. Seonghwa massages the base of his neck to get him to relax, and he does so, slumping back on his chair and curling up against Seonghwa's side again. He really is like a cat.

"I wasn't going to give them to you!" Yunho says, mildly offended. "Not all of us go making out in shared spaces!"

"Wow, that was a low blow," Yeosang comments, but he's smiling like he finds them infinitely amusing.

"Yeah, specially coming from someone who was just making out with his boyfriend in the middle of the street," Hongjoong comments, unaffected. "At least we do it inside."

That makes both Yunho and Seonghwa choke on a breath.

"Don't say it like it's a habit," Seonghwa chastises him. Hongjoong just smiles up at him cheekily, and okay, Seonghwa is very tempted to contradict his words just to kiss the grin off his face. Little cute fucker.

"Ew, gross, save the goo goo eyes, will you?" Yeosang pretends to throw up and Seonghwa looks away from Hongjoong with a pout.

“Oh my, I think I just saw my future, this is a bit scary,” Yunho mutters, burying his hands in his hair.

“I mean, I think these two are on a league of their own, but I really hope you and Mingi get to the gross domestic stage,” Yeosang tells him, surprisingly fondly. 

“Thanks,” Yunho smiles at him, ignoring Hongjoong’s demands of _what does that mean?!_

“Stop yelling,” Seonghwa shushes him, planting a kiss on his cheek. “And be nice.”

Hongjoong gives him a glare that has exactly no heat in it and turns to their friends, who are looking at them with varying degrees of amusement. “Whatever,” he mutters, and they all laugh.

“You have it so bad,” Yeosang tells him, but his eyes are fond, and Seonghwa catches them and smiles at him.

“Shush, nobody sitting in this table gets to talk,” Hongjoong retorts, and his blush almost goes by unnoticed. Almost.

“Do you realize this means we gotta find Jongho a boyfriend now?” Yunho says, as if he just realized.

“Yes, poor thing, he can’t keep…” Seonghwa counts on his fingers. “Eighth wheeling.”

They all wince.

“I think Wooyoung said a friend of his had a friend who used to be in one of Jongho’s classes and had a bit of a crush on him,” Yeosang comments, tapping his chin with a finger as he thinks. “I guess we could pull a couple of strings…”

“This world is so small,” Hongjoong marvels. They all nod.

“Wooyoung does know a lot of people, though,” Yeosang poses, and they all make some sort of conceding sign. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Nice,” Yunho says, smiling from ear to ear. “Our baby deserves some action too.”

“He’s not so baby…” Hongjoong reminds him, but Yunho shakes his head.

“He’ll always be my baby,” he sentences. Hongjoong shakes his head.

“Are we done?” Yeosang asks, and Seonghwa thinks for the nth time that Yeosang is actually the boss of this business.

“Yup,” Yunho says, eager to get attention away from himself.

“Let’s go back?” Seonghwa suggests, running a hand up Hongjoong’s spine just to make him squirm.

Hongjoong bats his hand away. “Yes, leave me be. So clingy.”

Seonghwa laughs. “Look who’s talking.”

“Yeah, and I’m gonna separate you two now before this goes anywhere,” Yeosang interjects, getting up and pulling at Seonghwa. “Let’s go, there’s some marigolds that need your affection.”

“Try not to be jealous,” Seonghwa tells Hongjoong, who rolls his eyes as Seonghwa stands. He ruffles Yunho’s hair on his way to the flower shop, and doesn’t miss it when Hongjoong hugs Yunho and talks to him excitedly behind the counter when he thinks Seonghwa can’t see them. He smiles and gets back to work. 

All is good.

* * *

The story of Seonghwa finding out about Hongjoong's English name goes a bit like this:

Enter Seonghwa, young, naive, with a knack for finding things.

Enter Hongjoong, also young, also naive, with an uncanny ability for misplacing things.

And enter Hongjoong's mom, middle-aged, not naive at all, with the curious ability of always calling when Hongjoong can't pick up.

Set the scene:

Seonghwa sits on the couch, bills in front of him as he does some overdue accounting for the just inaugurated shop, when the couch cushions begin to buzz.

Weird, he tells himself, but upon further inspection, he locates a bright red phone case in between them. The culprit.

"Hongjoong!" a fruitless call, Hongjoong will not come. "It's your mom!"

A voice from the corridor: "Can you pick up? I'll be there in five!"

A shrug, and a _hello,_ as Seonghwa picks up the phone and brings it to his ear.

"Seonghwa?" Hongjoong's mom's voice, so similar yet so different to her son's. "Is he using you as his secretary now?"

A laugh. "More or less. I think he's in the shower."

"Oh!" Surprise on the other end. "I can call later."

Seonghwa shakes his head. "Don't worry, he said he'll be out in no time. If you would allow me to entertain you in the meantime?"

That manages to make her laugh. "You're so charming, I'm always telling Howie he could learn some things from you."

Confusion. "Howie?"

"Hongjoongie! Has he never told you his English name?" a surprised chuckle.

A pause, as Seonghwa's brain assimilates. "He hasn't, actually."

Hongjoong's mom lets out a sigh. "This boy, really. He's never liked it."

 _I can imagine why_ , Seonghwa thinks, but doesn't say out loud. Instead. "You know how us youths are."

Another giggle, achingly familiar. "Yes, you boys and your things," she confirms. "Ah, but you're always so polite and nice."

Seonghwa feels himself blush, in spite of himself. "Thank you, I try." Then, quick steps and a Hongjoong with still dripping hair appearing in front of him. "Oh, he's here."

"Oh, well!" Hongjoong's mom exclaims, and she sounds genuine when she says, "It was a pleasure talking to you, as always, Seonghwa."

"For me, too," Seonghwa tells her, then his eyes find Hongjoong's and he smiles. "I'll leave you with Howie now."

And Hongjoong's eyes opening wide before they narrow, snatching the phone Seonghwa offers and hissing a furious, "What did you say to him?" into it.

Seonghwa laughs, low and soft, and goes back to his bills.

Later that day, he is made to swear to never utter that name again, under the threat of Hongjoong breaking all his figurines if he does. And Seonghwa loves his figurines, but he loves teasing Hongjoong more, so he swears with his fingers crossed behind his back, and is already looking forward to the next time he can call Hongjoong by his awful English name.

* * *

The first thing Seonghwa thinks when he wakes up is _why is it so hot here?_

The second thing Seonghwa thinks when he wakes up is _has my pillow always been this hairy?_

The third, and last thing Seonghwa thinks when he wakes up is _holy shit._

Because the thing tingling his nose and chin isn't his pillow, but a mop of dark brown hair. Hongjoong's hair. Hongjoong, who is in Seonghwa's twin bed, back pressed to Seonghwa's chest and hand holding his loosely in his sleep.

Which means that last night was not a dream.

Means that Hongjoong loves him (Hongjoong _loves_ him!), and Hongjoong wants to try this whole relationship thing with him, and Hongjoong fell asleep in Seonghwa's bed, and now Seonghwa is waking up with him in his arms.

To say that his heart beats out of his chest is an understatement.

He really can't help it, he freaks out. Because Hongjoong's hair is soft where it rests on Seonghwa's pillow, his hands small where they wrap around Seonghwa's, his scent comforting as it mixes with Seonghwa's on the sheets.

Seonghwa can't help but wonder if his sheets will smell like Hongjoong, and his heart does several backflips in his chest.

Which is nothing compared to the entire gymnastics routine it does when Hongjoong stirs with a little sigh, stretching slightly before he tenses up, and Seonghwa thinks he knows what he's thinking.

"Oh _fuck_ ," Hongjoong whispers, and the turns in Seonghwa's arms, eyes wide but face soft from sleep.

"Uh, hi?" Seonghwa tells him, trying not to stare at Hongjoong's sweet sleepy face in a way that's too obvious. He doesn't know if he succeeds.

"I-" Hongjoong stops himself, eyes quickly darting over Seonghwa's features, and Seonghwa doesn't know what he's looking for, but he hopes he finds it, because he's not ready to let go of him just yet.

"You're not a dream, right?" are Hongjoong's next works, and Seonghwa can't stop the grin that spreads on his face.

"I very much am not," he confirms, and revels in the way Hongjoong takes a sharp breath, pinches his bottom lip with his teeth.

"Yesterday really happened," he mutters, letting go of it, and Seonghwa's eyes involuntarily trace the movement. 

"It did," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. It's what the calm setting of this Sunday morning seems to require. "I wasn't sure myself, but you're here, so it must have."

"God," Hongjoong breathes, sounding slightly winded. "I don't know what to do with this."

Seonghwa feels fear start to grow in his chest. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"What?" Hongjoong's face is one of utter disbelief. "No, never."

He says it so categorically that he manages to stomp any temor in Seonghwa. He nods, bringing a temptative hand up to brush Hongjoong's hair away from his eyes. Hongjoong eyes it intensely, but doesn't pull away or protest, so Seonghwa continues touching down his ear, and then cheek.

"Then I don't think we should _do_ anything with it," he reasons, slowly. "We just go about things the same way we did until now, except maybe this," he takes a risk and places a kiss on Hongjoong's unsuspecting nose, "can become a common thing."

Hongjoong's face scrunches. "It might take me a while to get used to it."

"That's fine," Seonghwa says, and he's aware of the fact that he's probably looking at Hongjoong like a fool, but he has lost all ability to control his facial expressions in front of Hongjoong ever since he stopped doing so yesterday. "We have time."

"Do we?" Hongjoong asks, for once, not trying to be difficult, but with eyes full of doubt.

"I love you," Seonghwa tells him, and those words feel just as sweet on his tongue as they did the night before. "And I plan on doing so for as long as you'll have me."

Hongjoong's eyes can't possibly grow any wider as his cheeks burn red. "Don't say stuff like that!"

Seonghwa laughs. "Why not? It's true."

"Because!" Hongjoong starts, but never finishes, choosing to hide his burning face in Seonghwa's chest instead. Seonghwa wraps his arms around him, holding him tight.

"Don't be embarrassed," he chuckles against Hongjoong's hair. 

Hongjoong hits his chest. "Don't be embarrassing, then!"

"I'm just telling the truth," Seonghwa teases him.

"I told you it would take me time to get used to it! You can't just drop things like that on me and expect me to be _fine_ with them!" Hongjoong cries, words muffled by Seonghwa's shirt.

"I thought you were the poet here," Seonghwa says, only because Hongjoong is cute and clinging to him, and this is probably the best morning of his life.

"Yeah! But it's one thing to write lyrics about you and another to start reciting sonnets to you," Hongjoong explains, but Seonghwa isn't listening anymore.

"You write lyrics about me?" he interrupts him, trying to pull back to look him in the eye. Hongjoong just burrows closer, intent on doing just the opposite.

"I write entire songs about you," he says, in the smallest of voices. "Almost every song I write is about you somehow."

He could have struck Seonghwa across the face and he'd have delivered a less fatal blow.

" _Hongjoong_ ," he whines, finally managing to pull Hongjoong away from his chest. The shorter man refuses to meet his eyes, his cheeks and now ears covered in a pretty blush. 

"I'm sorry," he mumbles, and Seonghwa pushes his chin up with a gentle hand.

"Don't be," he tells him, truthfully. "I'm flattered."

"I just," Hongjoong says, clearly eager to justify himself. Seonghwa lets him, just admiring him as he talks. "I love you, okay? And some days that was the only outlet I had when I thought I would go crazy over it."

Hongjoong's _I love you_ is clumsier than his, but that doesn't make it any less beautiful. Seonghwa cups his face with his hands, hoping not to look too smitten when he says, "Let me give you an alternative, then."

And leans in and presses his lips to Hongjoong's.

Seonghwa captures Hongjoong surprised exhale with them, smiling into it when Hongjoong's hands fist his shirt as he kisses him back, fierce but somehow gentle, like he were starving for it. Seonghwa meets his pace, buries his hands in Hongjoong's hair, moves until he's half perched on top of him, framing his head with his hands and hoisting himself up with his elbows. He kisses Hongjoong with single-minded purpose, intent on making Hongjoong see that yes, this was meant to be, this is where they were supposed to be the entire time, and that everything is slowly starting to click into place.

They kiss and kiss and kiss until neither of them can breathe, until Seonghwa rests his forehead on Hongjoong's and simply brings their bruised lips together in soft brushes when the feeling of being apart becomes too much.

"I can definitely get used to this," Hongjoong breathes into his mouth, and Seonghwa swallows his giggle when he kisses him in reply.

"Me too," he admits when he parts. Not for long, though, because Hongjoong pulls him in shortly after. 

And Seonghwa wouldn't dream of denying him anything, least of all a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> if you guess who they want to pair jongho up with ill give you a boop, warning: its not an easy one
> 
> thanks for reading! find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thewintersobber)
> 
> bye!


End file.
